Christmas 2016

This was a great way to get a wreath home from my workshop a week or so before Christmas. Here’s a close up and an example of how the wreath looked up on the door.

I also ran a large workshop for 14 people to make a traditional round table centre like this:

Most of all I enjoyed the workshop where we made an oblong arrangement by putting jam jars in these mini crates. We packed in a bit of moss around the jam jars and used chicken wire to hold the flowers in place. All the flowers and foliage were English – anemones, alstroemeria, tulips, narcissi, pittosporum and eucalyptus. Everything was really fresh and smelled lovely too. A breath of spring air! We just added a few wired cones as a gesture to Christmas!

We also made some place settings out of dried flowers and dried seed heads:

My mind is shifting towards the garden now. Just before Christmas and before the weather turned cold it was time to lift our dahlias.

This is the first time I`ve tried this and all the advice I read said you should use a fork to gently lift them from the ground. I looked high and low and couldn`t find a garden fork anywhere. So, lo and behold, Mike and I were given this splendid fork as a Christmas present. It is gorgeous – stainless steel and hardwood. I`m really looking forward to using it in the Spring.

So, as we say goodbye once again to the festive season, I would like to thank you all for your custom and support throughout 2016. And here's to a happy, peaceful and successful 2017.